Disposable Bioprocess Bag Annular Welding Conformability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing single-use bioprocessing bags have reduced physical properties due to multiple straight-line welds and overlapping edges, leading to increased risk of rupture and leakage, and poor conformability with bioreactors, which affects the ideal flow field of culture liquids and cell culture outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method using a hot-melt ring welding machine to create a single-use bioprocessing bag with fewer welding edges and improved conformability by cutting and welding film materials according to specific templates matching the bioreactor's shape, reducing overlapping parts and enhancing the welding edge's physical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple straight-line welding is used during production, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the physical properties of welding edges are significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional straight-line welding with annular (circular) welding edges that conform to the curved surface of the bioreactor. This curvature allows the welding to follow the natural geometry of the container, distributing stress more evenly and maintaining the physical properties of the film material while still using straightforward hot-melt welding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The bioprocessing bag is divided into multiple sections (upper top, upper part, lower part, lower bottom) that are each welded along annular edges. This segmentation allows each welding operation to be performed on a manageable section with controlled overlap, rather than requiring continuous straight-line welding across the entire bag structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple overlapping welding edges are created, then the bag can be assembled from standard templates, but the physical properties of overlapping parts are significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By using annular welding edges that follow the curved geometry of the bioreactor, the patent reduces the number of overlapping welding sections needed. The circular welding path naturally distributes the structural load and minimizes stress concentration points that would otherwise occur at multiple straight-line weld intersections, thereby reducing rupture and leakage risks.
3Ease of manufacture
If the bag shape does not conform to the bioreactor, then manufacturing is easier with standard shapes, but the flow field of culture liquid deviates from ideal design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the bioprocessing bag with a curved, annular geometry that matches the cylindrical shape of standard bioreactors. The annular welding edges and overall bag structure conform to the bioreactor's curvature, ensuring proper fit and maintaining the ideal flow field for culture liquid circulation while still using conventional hot-melt welding manufacturing processes.
4Strength
If annular welding edge is used, then the physical properties of welding edge are improved, but specialized equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The annular welding edge design is implemented using a hot-melt ring welding machine that applies heat and pressure along a circular path. While specialized equipment is required, the annular welding process consolidates multiple straight-line welds into a single continuous operation, improving welding edge strength and physical properties while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method improves the physical properties of the welding edges, reduces the risk of rupture and leakage, and enhances the conformability between the bioprocessing bag and bioreactor, maintaining an ideal flow field for improved cell culture results.
Implementation Method 1
using a hot-melt ring welding machine to weld the circular upper top, the cylindrical upper part, the inverted truncated cone lower part, and the circular lower bottom to obtain the single-use bioprocessing bag
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a disposable bioprocess bag, a manufacturing method therefor and a hot-melt annular welding machine, relating to the technical field of biopharmaceutics. The manufacturing method comprises: preparing a first cropping template to a fourth cropping template according to a top, an upper portion, a lower portion and a bottom of a bioreactor; cropping a raw material film according to the first cropping template to the fourth cropping template to obtain a first membrane material to a fourth membrane material, wherein the fourth membrane material directly serves as a rounded bottom; welding at least two pockets on the first membrane material to obtain a rounded top; welding the second membrane material to obtain a cylindrical upper portion; welding the third membrane material to obtain a lower portion in the shape of an inverted rounded truncated cone; and welding, using a hot-melt annular welding machine, the rounded top, the cylindrical upper part, the lower portion in the shape of an inverted rounded truncated cone and the rounded bottom, to obtain a disposable bioprocess bag. According to the present invention, the physical properties of the welded edge of the disposable bioprocess bag are improved, and the fit of the disposable bioprocess bag to the bioreactor are also enhanced.